Survival tips for new expats in Dubai

If you’re still determined to take a chance on Dubai, here’s what you need to know.

Most expats head for Dubai for its career opportunities and its reputedly high-style ambience created by those on massive salaries. Words and phrases such as ‘fresh start’ and ‘opulent, exotic lifestyle’ trip off the tongues of recruiters and journalists, but no-one mentions the elephants in the room – Dubai’s tortuous bureaucratic procedures and strict laws on everything from alcohol to the opposite sex. Another thing to consider is the unrelenting, debilitating heat of the city’s desert location.

Notwithstanding, Dubai is still a favourite with ambitious expats, but getting used to its strange world takes some doing and can become frustrating and enervating at best and depressing at worst. Survival tips are shared freely online, and a hefty salary makes up for the feeling you’ll never, ever feel at home in the culture. However, the first, absolutely essential tip is to familiarise yourself with Dubai’s written and unwritten rules, memorise them and keep the memory close to your heart. It’s the only way to avoid getting into serious trouble with the emirate’s unforgiving authorities and ending up either being deported or imprisoned for something you didn’t even know you shouldn’t do.

Apart from avoiding arrest, the extreme desert heat is the worst thing about a posting to Dubai. Air-con is everywhere, even in the bus shelters, but going outside is an experience you’ll always wish you hadn’t had. Another such experience is driving in the emirate, for which you’ll need an international driving license and your residence visa before you can convert to a Dubai license. Getting used to the incredibly high prices of everyday purchases isn’t easy, even on your elevated salary, with making sure you’ve been given enough of a good deal to be able to make ends meet an essential part of your move. The same goes for housing costs, especially in the city centre and the luxurious gated communities, and remembering the Dubai weekend runs from Friday through Saturday will ensure you don’t annoy the locals.